


Return

by Raiden527



Category: DARLING In The FRANXX (Anime)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 13:03:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15774660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiden527/pseuds/Raiden527
Summary: Hiro and Zero Two make it back to Earth after their fight with VIRM but find that they have been gone for decades and their old friends are not as young as they used to be. While many things have changed, some things stay the same, and Squad 13 is just as excited to see their two old friends again as the day the two left all those years ago. While their time may be brief, Squad 13 is finally reunited.





	1. Chapter 1

_Everything is so cold… so quiet…_

_Where is everyone…_

_That’s right…_

_We did it…_

_We blew up the VIRM home planet…_

_Ichigo…Goro…Futoshi…Ikuno…Miku…Zorome…Mitsuru…Kokoro…_

_How are you guys doing?_

_Are you living life?_

_Have you become adults?_

_I can’t wait to see you guys again…_

_Zero Two and I…_

_We’re doing okay…_

_We have each other…_

_We hope to get there soon… so that squad 13 will be together again…_

_It’s been so long since I last had a nice long rest…_

_Maybe I can rest my eyes for a while…_

_It’s so cold…_

_So quiet…_

_So alone…_

_My eyelids feel very heavy…_

_I think a nice long rest would be nice…_

“Darling…”

_Someone is calling me…_

“Darling…”

_Who is calling me?_

“Darling …”

_Only one person calls me that…_

 “Darling…”

My eyes slowly open… and I see her face.

Her eyes are only a few inches apart from mine and I can feel her breathe on my mouth. She realizes I’m waking up and her eyes narrow up along with her smile. She backs off, tilts her head a bit to the left, and closes her eyes while giving me her trademark grin, a few tears develop at the sides.

“Daaaaarrrling”

I no longer feel cold.

A knot forms in my chest and warmth spreads throughout my body. I can’t help from smiling myself. My vision begins to blur, and I wipe my eyes to get a clear picture of my partner in front of me. She is wearing her white gown and is sitting on the console of Strelizia facing me. Only the emergency lights are on, but I can still see her beautiful, heart-filled smile outlined in the dark cockpit.

“Zero Two… When did you get here…How did you get here?”

“Dunno… All I remember is detonating the bomb and feeling as if my entire body dissolved. The next thing I knew was that I was here looking at you sleep the day away.” She chuckles, and her smile grows on her face. She stares at me and I become lost in her emerald eyes, as if I am floating in the ocean back on Earth, with the sun heating my chest the same way her gaze does.

“Do you have any idea where we are?” As I ask her, she looks up and puts her right index finger to her chin.

“Nope! Hehe” she gives a breathy chuckle before continuing.

“But I do know how to find out.” Before I could ask her what she meant, she slaps the console and Strelizia begins to start up. A flurry of startup screens and noises cross the heads-up-display before the navigational system shows up.

“Looks like we got lucky Darling. The bomb propelled us backward and it looks like with a few adjustments we can be on a course back to Earth.”

The worried look I had on my face disappears and a wave of relief flows through me.

“Everyone…” I whisper, “We are on our way home.”

Zero Two gives me a smile and says,

“Darling…We did it…Everyone, please wait for us.”

“Zero Two, it’s going to be a long journey back. With Strelizia Apus destroyed and only a damaged Strelizia to propel us back, it might take some time for us to reach the warp gate back to our solar system.”

“Well, if I’m with Darling the whole time then I don’t think I will mind the wait.” With that, she moves onto my lap and presses her horns to mine. She leans in and gives me a small peck on the lips. She pulls away and in a matter-of-fact tone eases my worries,

“Besides, we can just put ourselves in stasis and dream the whole way back. What do you say, Darling? Would you like to dream with me?”

I look into her eyes and smile. I start to input commands into the system and Strelizia slowly readjusts for the course back home. After double checking the systems were all ready to be set in standby, I give Zero Two a glance and ask,

“You ready?”

“Yup!”

With that, I begin stasis mode and all Strelizia’s internal functions are put to rest, with only the hum of the engines in the background. The lights around us dim and I stare at Zero Two with a smile. She settles into my lap and places her head into the nook of my neck, a content smile crossing her face as well. I turn my head into hers and take a deep breath, the scent of her hair fills my lungs and relaxes me. I slowly close my eyes and let myself have a much-needed rest.

***

It’s white and blank around me. It’s not hot or cold, interesting or dull. Just nothingness.

But then she appears.

I blink and there she is. Her back is to me and I make my way over to her. She either heard me coming or just knew but she turned her head and looked back at me, a smile glancing her face.  She turns on the tips of her feet and twirls around to face me, her white gown flowing with her, stopping a few seconds after she completed her turn. She bends over slightly and has a grin planted across her face.

“Well Darling, we have a long return ahead of us. Where do you want to go to in this dream of ours? Our imaginations are the limit.”

“Anywhere with you is already a dream for me.”

“Hahahahaha!” She bursts out laughing, buckling at the waist as she holds her stomach.

“Darling… hehe… you really are a helpless romantic…not that I hate that.” She smiles and thinks for a moment before continuing. “Well, we’ve been to the beach already so how about we visit the mountains?”

“I always wanted to see the snows of the tallest mountain in the world… Mt. Everest I think is what it is called.”

“Then let’s enjoy the sights while we head over there. We have the time.” Zero Two comes over and grabs onto my right side and entangles our arms together. The white emptiness around us is replaced with mountains, rocks, trees, and vegetation. We are in a valley and a road appears before us seeming to lead up to a mountain range that seems to pierce the bright blue sky. We take one more look at each other and we step forward, beginning our journey to explore the world and our imaginations.

I envelop my right hand around her left, and as she gives me a heart melting smile, we take a step forward on our adventure, together.

 

* * *

 

 

It has been sixty years since I last saw you. I still think about you two every day and all the blessings you have given us. I know Goro feels the same way. Sometimes I find him staring into the skies, looking out into the stars. And sometimes he finds me doing the same. At times, we would just sit together and stare into the night sky hoping to see you two falling from the sky. I wonder how old you must look by now. I wonder if you are still together…It’s a silly thought. Of course, you are.

Our children often asked why their dad and I would stare into the dark night sky, especially when there were clear nights and the stars showed brightly. They often joked that we were werewolves. The whole family would laugh and Goro and I would just smile knowingly at each other: we were watching for you. We often told them tales about our lives as Parasites and of Squad 13. They were often enthralled with our stories of bravery and comradery. We, of course, included tales of the heroic duo of Hiro and Zero Two. They liked the part when the two of you finally confessed to one another. Soon our kids would stare into the night sky along with us, though for different reasons. Some found the endless abyss to be fascinating, others just wanted to be close to us at night. When they grew up, our grandchildren joined us, and we would all look into the skies, watching and waiting.

Some nights, when everyone was in town, Squad 13 would come together and watch the skies together. We all believed that the two of you would come back one day. And thanks to Ikuno’s research, our lifespan was increased many times. Unfortunately, she herself was already accelerated in the aging process. She died fifteen years ago. It was hard on all of us, especially Naomi. On the night of her death, she told us to look at the stars for her and to tell her if we saw you coming. She passed quietly in the night.

We are all old now. While the life expectancy of humans is decades more than previous generations, we are still ex-parasites with accelerated growth rates. Our kids may outlive our ages by decades. While I look at all my friends and still see the same old Squad, I can tell we are all nearing the end. Zorome is still as outspoken as always, bounding around telling the grandkids he was the best parasite in all the domes. Miku is still the one who keeps him in check, often following up his anecdotes with a more truthful version. However, when Zorome quiets down, he and Miku look more and more exhausted. They both keep a smile for the kids though.

The two love-birds Mitsuru and Kokoro ended up having six children and they all had children themselves so the two have their hands full with the grandchildren. However, they always found time to come and watch the stars with us. Futoshi still works on new baked goods recipes. His bakery is a hit and the business is booming. His children have taken over management as he retired several years ago but he likes to keep busy with new pastry ideas. He even brings some on our star-watchings to see how good they are. Most are a hit, a few are misses, but even with his old bones, we can see the passion and youth in his eyes.

We all miss the two of you. We want to hear your voices again, the laughter and the banter between you and Zero Two. A few of us are confined to wheelchairs now but we continue to gather and stare into the sparkling night sky. We wish you could see our children and our grandchildren. We know that they would love the two of you. We want you to see how much Humanity has thrived since you left, how much progress we have made in rebuilding. Our cities look much like the Adults’ that we protected and fought for. However, these cities are bursting with life and noise. We wish we could be a complete Squad 13 again. We all miss you.

 

* * *

 

It had been sixty-one years since the duo left to fight the VIRM. Sixty-one years, three months, and seven days to be exact. It was a clear night, the stars showed brightly in the darkened sky and a burning comet circled overhead. The citizens of the city of Mistilteinn all stopped and looked up to see the bright, illuminating projectile as it crossed the sky thirteen times before crash landing fifteen miles west of the city limits. First responders immediately rushed to the point of impact. Among them were the members of Squad 13. While not as young as they used to be, the moment they heard an unknown satellite from outer space was on its course to Earth, they all knew what it meant. Waking their significant others, they all rushed out, some in nightgowns, others in evening wear. All headed to the same place. All headed to see their old friends.

The impact of the unknown satellite shook the city of Mistilteinn and the surrounding areas. Birds scattered from trees, animals ran in terror, the Earth rocked about, vibrations being felt for miles around. The buildings on the west side of the city had some of their windows burst due to the airburst that followed the impact. Many of the trees on that side of town had been uprooted and knocked over. Those that were left standing had almost all their leaves ripped off. Many of the city residents feared the worst, that VIRM was back. Many hid their children inside, pedestrians ran for cover in nearby stores and restaurants, everyone trying to dodge broken glass and covering their ears from the massive boom that radiated across the city. Local law enforcement began to take precautionary measures, closing off major streets so those first responders could make their way unimpeded. The small army that protected the city even dispatched a company of soldiers to go with first responders to secure the landing site.

As they approached the crash, the once flat and green terrain became disturbed with thrown mounds of dirt and rocks several feet high. The tail of the crash started a kilometer away from the crater, with more and more debris and destruction becoming apparent the closer they got to the center of impact. As many of the first vehicles reached the pit in the ground, it became apparent that whatever made this hole was enormous in size. The crater had a diameter of several hundred meters and the depth of it was easily a third of the size. Many of the responders had no idea of how to handle the situation. The best they could do was try and secure the area and wait for the higher-ups to give them orders on how to proceed.

However, a group of individuals pushed their way past the guards and made their way towards the center of the gathering crowd of soldiers. While some tried to stop them, their reputation proceeded them, making the guards hesitant to try and forcibly stop them besides the one-off warning. Even while in their late seventies, Squad 13 currently had the energy and conviction they had when they were still green parasites. As the soldiers made way for their seniors the unknown satellite came into view. And Squad 13 let out a cry of happiness and joy.

Situated in the middle of the crater were a somewhat charred hull of a red Franxx, a structure that was larger than life, and one that brought back many memories for the group of friends who starred awestruck at its form. Radiant red shimmered under the lights from the cars. The verdant orange highlights seemed to glow in the night even with the charring from the reentry into the atmosphere. The sharp blue horn protruded from its head, still unbent and ramrod straight even after the massive impact. As the onlookers stood above the crater admiring the beauty of the machine, seven individuals slid down the slope and ran as fast as their old bones could take them towards the machine.

Kokoro held onto Mitsuru’s shoulders as he maneuvered his walker, trying to avoid the rocks and scattered debris. Zorome lent Miku his wheelchair handles as she discarded her walker and tried to rush towards the Franxx pushing Zorome haphazardly through the crater. Goro led the way with Futoshi following behind him. As they ran, rather sped walked, towards the imposing mecha, Ichigo followed behind everyone. Her eyes were clouded with tears and she had a hard time believing that after sixty-one years, Squad 13 would be able to see their old friends once again. Goro yelled to her to hurry up, which snapped her out of her daze. A wide smile stretched across her face. And she ran with all her might to meet her long-lost friends once again.

The first responders yelled for them to return but to no avail. These old heroes were going to meet their friends no matter what. Soon, the top brass ordered their troops and support units to follow Squad 13. If this was a VIRM trap, they couldn’t lose the saviors of humanity less there be a massive drop to public morale. However, their fears were unfounded. As Squad 13 reached Strelizia cockpit, Goro quickly made his way up to the release hatch. His days of adventuring and exploring the world left him with a pretty fit and able body for a man his age so while the rest of Squad 13 struggled to step onto the frame, he made short work of the climb.

There was a long and sharp hissing sound that radiated from the cockpit once Goro released the door. Steam and gas quickly escaped from the inside. The door itself was only loose and not actually opening by itself. Goro tried to lift the door himself but even his body was incomparable to his prime years. Eventually, a few soldiers caught up and climbed up. With a count of three and a collective push, the door finally slid open. With weapons drawn at the ready, the soldiers peered into the dark pilot chamber. But before they could get a good look inside, Goro placed a hand on two of the men’s shoulder’s and gave them a knowing look. Hesitantly, one of them lent him his flashlight and Goro peered into the dark.

And inside, he found his two friends, looking no older than the day they left.

 


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are finally home. And Squad 13 looks a lot older than they remember.

Beep Beep Beep

_There is this constant beeping noise…_

_Where is Zero Two?_

_Why does my body feel so heavy?_

_I need to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel so heavy…_

Beep Beep Beep

_That beeping again…_

_Where am I?_

“Hey… Hey! He’s starting to wake up! Go get the doctor!

_Who is that?_

_I need to get up…_

_Zero Two may be in danger…_

“He is starting to wake? Go and inform Squad 13. They will want to know that he is up.

“Yes, doctor.”

_Squad 13? Wait… did we make it?_

_Are we finally home?_

“Take it easy kid. After being in stasis for so long, it’s going to take a toll on your body. It’s alright to take it easy. You’re safe. You’re home.”

As I start to feel my strength slowly come back to me, I begin to open my eyes. It takes a while for my eyes to slowly adjust to the bright lights around me, and I wanted to close my eyes to shield them from the blinding light. However, I need to know that Zero Two is here and safe. I pry my eyes open and force them to adjust to the rays of light that shine on my face. The scent of sanitizer and cleaning solution fills my nose and recoil a bit.

“It’s alright. Being in stasis for that long will have dulled your senses. Right now, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Take your time and adjust. You’re safe here.” A smooth and calm voice tries to soothe me as I try and relax. A woman in a white lab gown is hovering above me on the left side of me. My eyes are still adjusting but I can make out an ID card hanging from his left breast pocket. The bold words slowly come into focus: Mistilteinn Regional Hospital.

“Where…Zero…Two?” I try to speak but my voice is hoarse and dry. My throat is coarse, and it hurts to speak, but I muster enough strength to ask the doctor.

“Well,” the doctor gave me a small knowing smile, “if you look to your right…” As I turn my head in the direction she mentioned, my eyes begin to water and blur. There laying in the bed next to me, in a deep calm sleep, was Zero Two. Her chest rose and fell with a steady rhythm and she looked as serene and as beautiful as the first day I saw her back in the lake.

“I know you may have a lot of questions, but for now, try and take your supplements and get some fluids in your system. With you awake, we expect Zero Two to regain consciousness soon. Rest if you feel like resting and you can press that call button above your headrest whenever you need us. If you feel strong enough, there is a bathroom right next to the entrance,” she points to a door that is perpendicular to the open door leading out into a bright white hallway, “where you can wash up. I expect your old squadmates will be wanting to see you soon, so I suggest you take it easy until then. They will be pestering you and I bet you’ll need all the energy you can muster.” With that, the doctor gave a hearty laugh and stood straight up from her bent position above me.

“Well, I’ll leave and let you rest. It’s about 11 at night so visiting hours are in ten hours. Take your time and rest. You’re back home. You’re safe.” She gave me one more smile, turned around and left, closing the door behind her.

As I stare at the now closed door, I quickly twist my head to my right and gaze at Zero Two. She was in a deep, calm sleep and the monitors that were hooked up to her beeped at a steady rhythm. The lights of the surrounding buildings shone through the cracks in the white drapes and graced her face with a subtle yellowish-orange glow. I remove my eyes from her beautiful form and quickly scanned the room. It was a similar looking room to the ones back in the Garden where he first met Zero Two. The main difference, however, was the overall feel of the room felt a lot less formal and more centered on patient comfort rather than testing.

As I complete my look around the room, I saw a remote laying on a simple coffee table in between my bed and Zero Two’s. I look up and see the TV it appears to be controlling but after all the information that I had just learned, I decided against turning it on. I reach for the light switch above the coffee table and turn it off, settling back into the comfort of my pillow. I stare up at the spotless white ceiling and try to get some rest, yet many thoughts raced through my mind as I shut my eyes.

_How long has it been?_

_The doctor mentioned Squad 13, are they alright? How is Ai? Do any of the others have children?_

_How is everyone?_

While these thoughts and many more raced through my head, I forced them to the back of my mind and tried to focus on what the doctor had said. We were home. Zero Two should wake up soon. Squad 13 will be here tomorrow. These new thoughts brought a new sense of relief and contentedness in me. And as I imagined how Squad 13 would be, sleep again took a grasp of me.

***

_Where is Darling?_

_Where is he?_

_Where am I?_

Beep Beep Beep

_What is that noise?_

_Something’s wrong…_

_I need to wake up…_

_I NEED TO WAKE UP NOW!_

My eyelids shoot up and I sit up from where I am laying. I frantically scan the area. Eyes wide as anxiety builds up in my chest. But then I see him. A wave of relief crashes over me when I spot Darling laying sound asleep in a bed next to mine. My heavy breathing slows down as I stare more and more at his sweet, content face. He feels safe here, so I can guess where we are. The rather familiar medical equipment also provides a hint.

I begin to take notice of the hustle and bustle of the city below. I look out of the window next to me and I see the sun shining on a megacity, with skyscrapers lining the skyline and many smaller buildings filling the landscape. While at a glance out of the window we may seem to be on one of the higher floors, I can still hear what sounds like horns honking and the general movement of vehicles on the streets below. This is off-putting. All the streets and cities I have ever visited have had mostly deserted streets and were almost deathly quiet. Either we are in a city I have never heard of before or Darling and I have been gone for a very long time.

As I try to figure out exactly what is going on, I hear stirring on the other bed. I turn and see Darling on his side facing me, giving me a smile that makes my heart almost leap out of my chest. I quickly reply to him with a smile of my own and a feeling of contentedness fills me. It’s at this moment I knew that whatever this place may be, if I had Darling with me, then everything would be alright.

“Good morning Darling.”

“mmmhhh good morning Zero Two.” He replies in a sweet but tired voice. He rubs his eyes, sits up, and faces me. “Are you feeling ok?”

“I could do with some food in my stomach but other than that never better! Besides, as long as we’re together, I’m sure I could go through anything.”

“Hahahahahaha you two are as lovey-dovey as you were back then!” A sudden laughter fills the room, followed by an old, raspy, however familiar voice. We turn our heads and see an old face at the door. He stood tall and had the look of someone who traveled a lot when they were younger. His hair was silvery white and was balding towards the top, but Darling and I knew who he was regardless of how old he may have gotten.

“Goro!” Darling is the first to reply to him and does so with so much disbelief, joy, and excitement in his voice, I swear he would have jumped from his bed to hug the old man if his legs were not as weak as they were. “Man look how old you’ve gotten! How long have we been away?! How is everyone?!”

“Hiro calm down. You might die from excitement before I can die of old age. To answer your first question…” Goro gives a slight pause, as if hesitant to answer Darling’s question, “you two have been gone for over sixty-one years. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of how good you look for a seventy-six-year-old. Bahahaha”

“Really…sixty-one years?” Darling questions this and leaves it up in the air, trying to let it settle in that we were really gone for that long.

“Hey, cheer up. We all were able to live full, fulfilling lives because of you two. Many thought you two were not going to ever come back. At least appreciate that you got here before we all were gone.”

“…I know. Thanks, Goro, it’s just that seeing you as an old man is pretty jarring. I can only imagine what everyone else looks like. Hey! Where is everyone? How are they doing?”

“Well,” Goro gives us a teasing look, “you can see for yourself.” Goro quickly leans out of the doorway and yells down the hall. “Hey guys, they’re awake! Get in here!”

The shuffling of feet can be heard from the hallway and Goro approaches Darling’s bed. Following a few moments, several people make their way into the room. The years have been kind to some, others well, not so much. One was in a wheelchair, others had walkers. But all of them were easily recognizable and all had the same smiles on their faces. Smiles filled with joy and happiness. Just like on the day of Kokoro’s and Mitsuru’s wedding. Squad 13 was finally together again.

“HIRO!!!! ZERO TWO!!!” Zorome is the first to speak, rather, yell. His booming voice the same as it was the day we left, albeit a bit deeper and raspier. He wheels himself over in between our beds and leans over to give us both a hug. The others follow him, and each gives us a very warm greeting. Ichigo’s hair was now a sleek silver but the fullness of it still covered her head. While she did have many wrinkles on her face, she looked spry and lively for her age. Zorome was as lively as ever. Even when confined to a wheelchair, it seemed like he was about to jump up from the wheelchair do a dance number. Miku trailed behind him, using his wheelchair handles as support as she half pushed, half being dragged by, Zorome. Her twin tails were gone and replaced by a single ponytail that reached her shoulders. Her hair was still the same vibrant color they were years ago with the inclusion of several large streaks of white.

Futoshi came next, his round figure seemed to thin out since the last time we saw him. However, his plump form was still recognizable, and he carried with him a small white paper bag that one would usually use to carry sweets or a small gift. The entire top of his head was bald, but he still had some hair on the sides. The last two to enter the room was the lovely couple of Mitsuru and Kokoro. Mitsuru entered the room using a walker and slowly made his way to us. Kokoro followed, a hand on his back, making sure he was steady. They both had silvery white hair and the once lush hair of Kokoro had become wispy and Mitsuru’s was visibly thin. Everybody had become old and wrinkly, yet they all had such warm and full smiles. I must admit, it is nice to see everyone again. Something is off though. Someone is missing.

“Where is Ikuno?” I ask after everyone had finished their greetings and hugs, a sudden sullen mood overtakes the group as Goro answers my question.

“Ikuno…She died sixteen years ago. Having expended most of her energy in that battle years ago, her life expectancy shortened a lot compared to ours.” Goro gave a weary smile and continued. “But, I know she would have loved to see the two of you again,”

“Why don’t we go visit her and Naomi after the two of you get released?” Ichigo suggested. “I’m sure you two have things to tell her.”

“And after that, you can meet our families! Of course, my family is the most impressive out of everyone else’s. It’s in their genes.” Zorome bragged in typical Zorome fashion.

“What are you going on about?” Miku replied in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Well, for one my son is the head researcher at the ERC and his kids are all in the medical field. Even my great-grandchildren are training to be doctors. What does your son do again? Oh, that’s right. He’s a vet. Doesn’t even compare. Hahaha!”

“Why you!” Miku slapped him upside the head. Everyone laughed at their banter and the sullen mood from earlier seemed to dissipate.

“What’s the ERC?” asked Darling. In response to his sudden question, Ichigo turned to answer him,

“The ERC is the Energy Research Commission. After finding out that thermal energy was actually Klaxosaurs, we couldn’t exactly keep on using it as an energy source. So, the Commission was created to come up with ways to find other ways to satisfy our energy needs.”

“Yeah, and like I said, my son is the head researcher! You can expect nothing less from the son of the best Franxx pilot there ever was. Hahaha~ Ow! Hey!” Zorome continued to brag about his son but was quickly slapped again by Miku.

“We can’t wait for you to meet our families,” Kokoro piped in, “they’re going to love you! We told them stories of the adventures we all had when we were young. The two of you were always a staple. We even finished your picture book. All of the kids read it!”

“The doctor said that if you passed all your tests then the two of you will be out of here by the end of the week” informed Mitsuru.

“So, you better pass those tests because we already have all our families gathering for your homecoming party,” remarked Goro. His tone was joking but knowing him he was probably serious.

Looking over to Darling, he had a wide smile plastered on his face that he couldn’t seem to stop even if he wanted to. He missed them. We missed them. But now we are back.

And it feels good to be home.

 

* * *

  

The skies overhead was a bright blue. The colors of the trees were a multitude of different colors and their fallen leaves littered the nearby forest floor. A cool breeze flowed through the air and blew up long strands of pink hair into the wind. The owner of the hair had physically matured since she had returned from space several years ago. Her vibrant maroon horns and light pink hair contrasted with her black attire. She wanted nothing more than to change into more comfortable clothing but now was not the time to be complaining about appearance. She had been standing in the field for a few hours already, but she was willing to stand for hours more if it helped her husband.

Said husband was standing next to her, staring down at the plot of upturned earth. His features had also matured over the years and his blue horns stuck out more prevalently than they did before. He had grown taller and grown slightly broader, however, there remained a slightly lanky and boyish feature that was reminiscent of his youth. He too was dressed in all black and had been standing in the field for quite some time. It had been about thirty minutes since the last of the procession had left. Yet, he and his wife continued to stand there.

A sweet voice cut through the quiet atmosphere and it brought him out of his deep thoughts.

“Darling…”

“Yes, Zero Two?”

“They’ll always be with us.” She leaned into his left shoulder and wrapped her hands around his body. “I’m here. I’m still with you. I’m not going anywhere for a long time.”

Droplets of water dampened the disturbed earth at their feet as his head sunk further down. His body started to shake, and his breathing hitched. He struggled to breathe and all she could do was hold onto him, reassuring him that she was still there. The supportive wife held onto her husband as he struggled to stand upright. She buried her head into his hair and murmured sweet nothings into his ear. Pale fingers swept through obsidian locks as she continued to comfort her grieving partner. He leaned his head into the nook of her neck and took deep breathes, inhaling her scent trying to calm himself.

It took a few minutes for the blue-horned man to calm his breathing to a manageable amount. His chest hurt from his rapid breathing as well as from the emotional exhaustion he had had to endure the past few years. It is hard losing a friend, an ally, an old teammate. It is much harder losing them one after another.

***

Just as the two lovebirds promised, the moment the two klaxosaurs reached adulthood, they married one another and promised, once again, to be by each other’s side for all of time. Zorome mocked how cheesy their wedding vows were and the entirety of Squad 13 had gotten a good laugh out of it. And while Hiro had a bright red tomato face from embarrassment for the entirety of the wedding ceremony and even the reception, he was filled to the brim with joy.

His joy would not last. It was a few moments after the lovely couple had cut the cake when Goro had begun to violently cough. A few seconds later, blood splatters became very apparent on the white napkin he was trying to use to cover his mouth. While he tried to reassure everyone that he was alright in between his coughing fits, when he tried to walk to the washrooms, he collapsed. The ex-explorer was immediately rushed to the hospital followed by Squad 13.

“I’m sorry I ruined your wedding reception Hiro…” Goro’s voice was hushed and coarse. The beeping of the monitors was the only sound that filled the room for the moments in between his ragged breathing.

“Goro, it’s fine. It’s just a party and like Zorome said before: Zero Two and I were practically married already.” Hiro replied in a comforting and consoling tone, giving his best friend a small smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah buddy, what is important is that you keep yourself healthy. When I come back tomorrow, I’m going to bring your favorite pastries from my shop!” Futoshi offered. He gave his old friend a smile and started listing off all the different pastries Goro should expect to see the following day. Goro gave the plump elderly man a resigned smile and joked around with the rest of Squad 13 until visiting hours ended.

The following morning, Futoshi kept his promise and arrived with a basket of delicious, piping hot baked goods. The rest of Squad 13 came and went at different times, with Ichigo staying by his side the enter day until it was time for her to go home and rest. This repeated day after day. The doctors were unsure how much the ex-explorer would hold up. Squad 13 returned day after day checking up on their old comrade and friend. And day after day, Goro would tell them he was doing fine. After spending two weeks in the hospital and with some convincing to the doctors, Goro was finally discharged and allowed to go home. The doctors said they could do nothing else for him.

And one week later, Goro died peacefully in his sleep.

Everyone was heartbroken, especially Ichigo. When she woke up the following morning, her husband did not stir. He lay quietly, unmoving, with a content smile on his face.

As per his request, Goro was cremated and his ashes were spread into the wind, so that he could continue to explore more of the world and be where every one of his friends was, even after his passing. A tombstone was placed next to Ikuno’s and Naomi’s in the garden of the old orphanage in his memory. A memorial was also erected in the city’s central park near the large cherry blossom tree in memory of the city’s founding members. The number of memorials would continue to grow, and the number of tombstones would increase as well. Death had finally come to claim Squad 13 who had seemed to live through the most impossible of odds.

A month after Goro had passed, Zorome fell ill. Throughout his hospital stay, he was just as rowdy as he was as a kid, but his features were looking more and more worn with every visit. He later died surrounded by his friends and family in the hospital. Several days after his burial, Miku passed away in her home. Sensing the end, she visited her old teammates before closing her eyes one final time. Her son had found her after she didn’t come by his house for her daily snacks with the grandkids.

Futoshi left next. One day he called everyone saying he was eternally grateful for them for being his friends. With uneasiness in their hearts, Hiro and Zero two rushed over to his apartment over his bakery where they found Futoshi laying in his bed surrounded by his family, quietly mourning. Three more memorials were placed in the park the following week and three tombstones were laid next to Goro’s in the garden of the old orphanage.

After losing more than half of the members from Squad 13, everyone was worried about what would happen next. Who was next. The answer would come four months later when both Mitsuru and Kokoro fell ill just like Zorome did. Everyone knew what would happen next. A dark night had descended and visiting hours were over for over an hour. The nurses ushered the remaining members of Squad 13 away and all was silent in the hospital room beside the beeping of machinery and monitors. The lights were turned off and the glimmering lights of the city below the hospital bedroom gave the room an eerie orange glow. The orange lights highlighted the husband and wife’s form in the dark room and they could barely make out each other’s features. As per their request, Kokoro’s and Mitsuru’s beds were placed side by side each other. The room was quiet. They made no effort to talk to each other. Slowly, Mitsuru reached for Kokoro’s right hand with his left and held hers in a weak grasp. She returned the affection.

“We’ve been together through thick and thin haven’t we Kokoro?” Mitsuru reminisced. He turned his old wrinkly, balding head towards his wife, memories of their life together flooding his mind. He gave her a weary smile.

“Yes, even after having our memories altered, we still found each other.” She turned her head towards him and returned the smile. Her once platinum blond hair was now a wispy white. Her features were worn and tired, eyes sunken in and voice growing fainter and weaker as the moments passed by. But for him, she would keep smiling, for she knew once she stopped, so would he.

“We lived a good life, the two of us,” he continued, “and I don’t want to imagine a world without you. I don’t want to die yet. I want to be with you more…” She didn’t have to see the shimmering of tears in his eyes to know he was crying. His cracking voice was telling her more than what she needed to know. His grip on her hand tightened as much as he could as if trying to confirm that she was real and still there with him. She squeezed his hand to reassure him.

“Yes, we did live a good life… but I think it is our time to go. It is a miracle we lasted this long. Our advanced aging should have killed us a long time ago Mitsuru, so we should be thankful for the extra time we have been granted. No more tears…please? If you cry I think I will too, and I don’t want your last memory of me being my ugly crying face. We had amazing friends, a wonderful family, a great life. But just like Hiro and Zero Two’s book, all things need to come to an end. And I think being here with you in our final moments is one hell of an ending.” She gave him a reassuring smile and as she closed her eyes he could see the glistening of a few tears fall down her face. When she opened her eyes again, his painful expression was no longer present, instead replaced with a content smile.

“I love you Kokoro.”

“I love you too Mitsuru.”

“Will we meet each other in the next life?”

“Definitely.”

“I will search for you.”

“And I, you.”

The next morning, Squad 13 and the family of Kokoro and Mitsuru were informed that they both passed in their sleep, with content smiles and their fingers intertwined.

***

After the tumultuous few months where all of Hiro’s old friends were leaving one by one, he finally seemed to be doing better, if only slightly. He began to talk to Zero Two again after shutting himself in his room for two days. In those two days, he mourned, he cried, he howled. No longer being able to stand the sound of her husband, Zero Two forced the door open and consoled him for an entire night. The following day, they visited the old orphanage and Hiro was finally able to give himself some closure.

It was only Hiro, Ichigo, and Zero Two left. The three of them grieved together and moved on together. But all three of them knew it was nearing Ichigo’s time as well. The couple visited her daily, helping her take care of the grandkids and with the chores around the house. Day by day, Ichigo spent less time up and about, and more time in bed, looking out and watching the kids as they played in the garden. Finally, the day came when she no longer got out of bed. Her voice, in a raspy and tired tone, was barely audible at times and Hiro and Zero Two knew what this meant. It was almost time to say goodbye to their last squadmate, their last old friend.

“Don’t…be sad.” Ichigo struggled to say a full sentence. Her breathing was ragged and her face sullen and sunken in. “I lived a long…happy life. And in my final…years…I got to see you two…again. The two of you…did the impossible. You saved us and…the Earth. And…you came back to…us.”

“I’m so sorry Ichigo. I wish…I wish we could have come back sooner.” Hiro’s eyes were glazing over fast and Zero Two was following suit. Their long-time friend and comrade was about to move on from this world and they could do nothing besides comfort her in her last moments.

“Don’t talk…like that. You…made it back…You saw us…once again. And…you brought more joy…to us in our…final years…than we could…ever imagine. Thank you.” Hiro knelt by his old friend’s bedside and grasped her hand, Zero Two stood next to him and covered their hands with her own. The blue-horned man could not hold back his tears any longer and they streamed down his face. He struggled to breathe, and he hiccupped in between breaths. His chest hurt as his heart twisted in knots. Suddenly, an old, wrinkly hand touched the top of his head and weakly patted him. Even though it was like barely any strength was behind the pat, he could feel the gentleness and the love that radiated from the old woman before him.

“You have…Zero Two. You…are not alone…Stay together…because…you two…have a…whole life…to live.” Looking up, the young man glanced at Ichigo and saw a warm smile on her face. He turned and looked up to his pink-haired wife and saw her looking back with a sad smile and a look that told him he would never be alone.

“I know,” he responded, “And with her, I’m sure I can be the happiest person on this Earth.”

“Good…Now…let me…go meet…my husband…and old…friends…I’m…sure they’re…waiting…for…me.” Ichigo closed her eyes one final time and the little strength that was in her enclosed hand left.

 

* * *

 

 The two klaxosaurs stood in the garden of the old orphanage. In front of them were nine gravestones.

“The two of us are going to explore the world.” Though he could not see them, he knew they were watching. “We want to experience what this world has to offer.”

“Don’t worry about us, I’ll take care of Darling.” The pink-horned girl gave a caring smile to her old comrades. She grasped the hand of her husband and leaned her head into the crook of his neck. “We promise to live our lives to the fullest. To experience a full life just like the rest of you did.”

“We’ll be sure to come back and tell you all about our adventures. We plan on visiting Mt. Everest. We saw it in our dreams once, but I have a feeling going there in person will be an entirely different experience. I hope you all watch over us.” Hiro gave the tombstones a content smile and took a deep breath. He looked up towards the sky and felt at peace for the first time in a long while.

“Darling, it’s about time we head off. We don’t want to miss our flight.”

“Yeah, okay.” With that, the two turned around and started walking back towards their car.

“Darling, you know that I’ll always be with you. No matter what happens, I’ll be right by your side.” As Zero Two comforted Hiro, she took his hand in hers and squeezed. The roseate klaxosaur stared up at her husband and gave him a smile. One in which he returned, squeezing their interlocking fingers. They took their time walking back, admiring the scenery and each other’s presence. A new chapter in their lives was starting and they were enjoying the closing of the old one. Soon, they came upon their car.

As he opened the door for his wife, the blue-horned man took one final look at his old home. There on the front porch, he saw his old friends waving goodbye to them. They were as youthful and energetic as the days when they all lived in the orphanage. All of them gave him a wave and a joyful smile. He returned it, tears building in his eyes, ones he quickly wiped away with his sleeve, and with a deep breath, got into the car.

“You alright, Darling?” she asked.

“Never better. You ready to go?” He questioned, giving her a small smirk.

“With you by my side? Always.” She affectionately answered.

And with that, they drove towards the airport.

Towards another adventure.

Together.


End file.
